Koji Sato, the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of Toyota, believes hydrogen is the most promising option for achieving carbon neutrality.
Whereas virtually all another carmaker on the planet is concentrating their efforts purely on battery electric vehicles, Sato believes that hydrogen will be the foundation of the future for the Japanese marque.
Toyota to continue Hydrogen option
On March 18, during a speech he delivered at an endurance race, Sato provided an overview of what he plans to accomplish when he assumes his position as CEO of Toyota in two weeks.
He stressed the significance of investigating potential alternatives to battery electric vehicles (BEVs) (as reported by Automotive News):
We want to ensure that hydrogen stays a viable option. We need a production and transport supply chain. Unless we see evolution there, we cannot expect a volume increase in the energy’s use,
We are making full-fledged efforts on everything. It is important to remain flexible in order to tailor products and energies to different carbon neutral needs in different markets
Koji Sato, CEO of Toyota stated on hydorgen as an option
However, Sato does not appear to be dismissive of BEVs. In addition to hybrid and hydrogen-powered vehicles, he believes that they will be significant to Toyota’s success in the future:
Toyota’s BEV
So far, sales of Toyota’s only hydrogen-powered vehicle, the Mirai, could be better. Because no other state in the United States possesses the necessary fueling infrastructure, the Mirai is only available for purchase in California.
The first-generation Mirai was a retrofitted Prius, but the second-generation model, which will go on sale in 2020, will be a sleek sedan instead.
In addition, it has a range of up to 402 miles and can be purchased for as little as $50,595 (whereas previously, it was closer to $60,000). Despite this, only 2,094 Mirais sold in the United States in 2022.
In the meantime, Toyota only has one battery electric vehicle, the bZ4X, available for sale in the United States. In China, the brand offers a sizeable selection of battery electric vehicles (BEVs), one of which costs 27,000 yuan ($27,000).
Insideevs reports that in the United States, consumers are limited to the bZ4X, a crossover priced at $42,000 that, in terms of range and technology, falls short of competing vehicles such as the Tesla Model Y.
See Also
- Toyota crumbles Tesla Model Y, saying it’s a “work of art”
- Salt Lake City dealership increases the price of the Toyota bZ4X by $15,000
- Toyota plans to start US electric vehicle production by 2025, as per a report
- Toyota unveils Toyota Corolla Levin (AE86) BEV concept at 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon
- Toyota to introduce a “Next-Generation” EV under the Lexus brand
